National Respiratory Care Week

By Elissa Voland

This week is National Respiratory Care Week and Aire Serv, your comfort company, wants to ensure you have good indoor air quality year-round. Usually, people think of air pollution as something only affecting the outside, but truthfully, the air inside our homes and offices can be more polluted than the outdoors. Paint, cleaners, new furniture and pets discreetly bring pollutants into your home on a daily basis.

Quality indoor air leads to good respiratory health, so be sure to take preventative steps now for a healthier future. According to Energystar.gov, filters in your home system should be changed once every three months, but you should check the information on the filters for the manufacturer’s suggested frequency of change.

According to David Land, MD, head of Allergy/Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic, you’ve probably got pet dander in your home even if you don’t have pets. But how this possible? Pet dander has become what is referred to as a “community allergen." Pet owners carry it around on their clothes and shed it throughout the day.

A dirty air filter will slow down the airflow in your home, which leads to the furnace working harder to heat your home and your AC working harder to cool it. This ultimately wastes energy and results in higher bills.

Be sure to consult your local HVAC professional about choosing the best quality air filters and any other questions concerning your home system. Changing your filter should be a simple task, and staying up to date on changes will prevent long-term health issues like asthma.

Asthma is a serious environmental health threat, but as the Center for Disease Control explains, can be “controlled by taking medication and by avoiding contact with environmental ‘triggers’ such as dust, mites, furry pets, mould, tobacco smoke and certain chemicals.”

Aire Serv strives to keep you and your family healthy and comfortable. For tips like this and more, check our blog or visit our website for air conditioner and furnace maintenance services we can provide to you.